He lost a leg in a bomb blast fighting for Queen and country in Afghanistan, but now the Government wants to claw back a third of the compensation it paid to Bradford squaddie Carl Clowes.

The 23-year-old, who lives in the Bolton area of Bradford, suffered 20 injuries, including severely crushed legs, when a Land Rover he was in ran over a roadside mine in Helmand Province in July, 2007.

The former Hanson School pupil, who served with the Royal Logistics Corps, underwent intensive rehabilitation but surgeons were forced to amputate his left leg below the knee.

Pte Clowes’s bravery did not go unnoticed and he was hailed as the outstanding Royal Logistic Corps Soldier of the Year. He was also given the chance to meet Prince Charles at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak Hospital where he was being treated last year.

He was later awarded £92,000 for his amputated leg, which he regarded as a satisfactory payment, and a further £10,000 for injuries to his right leg, which he deemed insufficient due to the extreme and painful nature of the injuries.

He applied to the Ministry of Defence for more money and was delighted when the compensation board placed another £48,000 in his bank account.

But, just a day later, he was asked to pay the sum back because the MoD said the extra payment was a mistake.

He refused, sought legal advice and paid off the outstanding mortgage on his £135,000 Bradford house.

Pte Clowes’s said: “Why award it if they are just going to ask for it back? It’s disgusting how the MoD is treating us. I never expected to quibble over compensation.

“When I got my compensation, I received £102,000 made up of £92,000 for my below-knee amputation, which I was happy with, and just £10,000 for my right leg, which I wasn’t happy with because it had three ruptured ligaments, dislocated knee, fractured leg, fractured and dislocated ankle and the shinbone penetrated through my foot.

“I can’t walk properly, struggle up and down stairs and I struggle on hills.

“Because I don’t have the money to pay back, I won’t be receiving the £14,500 I am due for my medical discharge tomorrow – that will be deducted from the £48,000.

“Also, they want me to pay £120 a month back out of my pension for the next 23 years, so I am just left to appeal and hope for the best.”

In a letter to Pte Clowes, Yvonne Faiers, overpayment secretary at the Service Personnel & Veterans Agency, said: “It is with regret that I am obliged to write to you regarding a duplicate payment of £48,392 paid to you in error from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

“Unfortunately, I must advise you that once an erroneous payment is discovered, we are required to rectify the situation and there is no flexibility under the terms of Managing Public Money but to seek recovery of the sum in question.”

Mr Clowes’s plight has come to light at a time when the MoD is seeking to slash compensation awarded to another two injured soldiers by up to 70 per cent at the Court of Appeal.

Mr Clowes said he was keeping a close eye on that case and added that the outcome – expected in October – could have a significant bearing on his own compensation battle.

In a statement to the Telegraph & Argus, a spokesman for the MoD said: “Due to a technical error, a duplicate payment was sent to Mr Clowes for additional compensation owed as a result of a recent increase to our payments under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

“The error was spotted immediately and we have apologised to Mr Clowes. We remain in discussions with him regarding this issue.”